A Different Kind of Purgatory [ Silmarillion ] 2

Chapter 2: Late Nights

"Come on, Eve!" Telvo pounded on the door of her house again. "You are late!"

When she pulled open the door with a huff, Telvo fell forward, having been leaning against the light blue door. Behind him, Pityo and Moryo burst out laughing. The dark haired brother held the reigns of his horse and Telvo's.

"Watch out," Eve joked as he picked himself up. "Never known when a door is going to attack you."

Telvo's eyes sparkled with mirth. He shook his head. "You cause too much trouble."

"Carry this, would you," Eve shoved a large pack into her brother's hands. "I'll go get Elvëa from the yard and meet you around."

Telvo nodded and backed out of the house back towards his brothers as Eve closed the door. He caught sight of Amarië just as the door was closing and waved to her, to which she smiled back. As he joined Pityo and Moryo at the street, Nelyo, Káno, and Finno came riding down the lane.

"You're late," Telvo commented to his eldest brother in particular.

Nelyo rolled his eyes, staring down at the older twin skeptically. He didn't even dignify Telvo's comment with a response. "Where's Eve?" he asked instead to the other two. "We should be going while the morning is early."

"She's coming," Eve called as she rode her grey mare around the side of the house she shared with Amarië. Two bags hung at either side of the horse's flank, filled with clothing and money for the ride north. "Don't all rush me at once."

Káno laughed. "Come, we are meeting up with Tyelko. He's waiting for us at the gates."

"And Nixiel and Curvo, are they coming with us?" Eve asked as she swung down from her horse and attached the pack she'd handed to Telvo.

Nelyo grinned at her. "Nixiel is at Formenos, visiting her family already. Curvo went up a few days ago to see her."

Eve grinned along with the others. Nixiel had become a part of the group of cousins ten years previous, when she met Curvo at a Festival of Hísimë. She was the daughter of a master craftsman that Fëanáro had employed at Formenos and was widely considered exceptionally beautiful even for the elves. Her skin was flawless, pale as porcelain, and her hair black as onyx stones. Curvo had fallen for her the moment he'd laid eyes on her. Nelyo hadn't even needed to play matchmaker.

When they reached the West gate of Tirion, Tyelko and Huan were there as expected. Huan was nearly as big as the smallest of their horses and Eve joked she should just ride him instead. Tyelko took offense.

"No one rides Huan," he insisted. "No one."

Eve shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Together they began the travel days in earnest. They passed a few hundred people in the first three days, but there were not nearly as many traveling north as would often travel south for the summer festivals. But Eve insisted that Hísimë was her favorite celebration.

As they sat in a tavern inn at the end of the first week, she smiled, leaning against Finno at their bench at the table they sat at. "I cannot wait for the-"

"The first snow. We know," Finno joked, cutting her off. "You say that every single year."

Eve rolled her eyes and sat up straight, glaring at him. "Don't cut me off."

"He isn't wrong," replied Tyelko. He smirked behind his glass, pretending to hide it.

Telvo and Pityo nodded in agreement, leaning back against a pillar that stood behind their bench area. Eve didn't even bother trying to protest to Moryo; he was busy with a book, a pencil, and some parchment. So instead she turned to Nelyo. His playful smirk gave him all the answer she needed.